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Platelets are very complex elements of the blood that actively participate in multiple processes, ranging from stopping the bleeding of injured vessels to releasing growth factors that signal intracellular pathways to induce tissue proliferation.

Global healthcare has changed radically in recent decades. Factors such as population growth and increased life expectancy, prevalence of chronic and degenerative diseases, and the incessant rise in the cost of health services have put an enormous strain on health systems to develop innovative alternatives that provide fast, effective and satisfactory answers to the new global health landscape.

The classical palliative approach of traditional medicine is becoming obsolete and ineffective in treating certain diseases. New alternatives through innovative approaches seek to solve the root causes. Among these emerging approaches is regenerative medicine Continue Reading

Osteoarthritis is more common in women than men in older age, but researchers have struggled to pinpoint precisely why this is. A new study may have shed light on the issue, after identifying differences in the synovial fluid of men and women with the disease. Continue Reading

Blood from umbilical cords may be medicine’s fountain of youth—at least for mice.

The blood from the cord that connects fetuses to their mothers during pregnancy contains compounds that scientists believe reverses some of the effects of aging, like memory loss. In a paper published (paywall) in Nature Communication on April 19, researchers from Stanford University announced they’ve identified which specific chemicals have these memory-sharpening effects. They believe that one day, these proteins may be able to help people with neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s.

In this study, the research team looked at the effects of the liquid part of human blood, called plasma, on mouse brains. The team gave shots of blood plasma from three different sources—people aged 61-82, 19-24, and newborn infants’ umbilical cords (with consent from their parents)—to older mice every four days for two weeks.